Scott Brandenburg | sbranden@mlive.comFormer University of Michigan head football coach Lloyd Carr signs a football for 11-year-old Braiden Cataldo before he speaks at the Journey 4-H Youth Mentoring seminar hosted at the Hemlock Crossing Nature Center in West Olive. Carr, a Mentor Michigan spokesman, was helping Journey 4-H promote its Outdoor Challenge component, which matches adult volunteers with youth and allows them to participate in activities such as hiking, fishing, rock climbing and more.

WEST OLIVE – Former University of Michigan football coach Lloyd Carr visited West Michigan Monday to talk about mentoring.

Journey 4-H Youth Mentoring hosted an event at the Hemlock Crossing Nature Center in West Olive to help promote its promote its Outdoor Challenge component, which matches adult volunteers with youth and allows them to participate in activities such as hiking, fishing, rock climbing and more.

Carr, a Mentor Michigan spokesman, seemed a perfect fit to talk about how adults can affect the lives of young people through outdoor activities and was invited to talk by Rob Renes, a former Wolverine All-American who played under Carr.

About 40 people gathered to listen to Carr recruit mentors.

"The effects of mentoring are dramatic and powerful," said Carr. "Research shows mentors make a huge difference in kids' lives."

Carr said he was "lucky" to have so many coaches and teachers who had a positive influence on his life when he was growing up.

He added former U-M football coach Bo Schembechler played an integral part in making him who he is today.

Carr added coaches are in a perfect position to be a mentor, but a mentor can be anyone who is willing to step up and give some time to a child or teen.

"That's what mentoring is all about – spending time with a person and helping them out in an area of need and encouraging them to succeed in an area that they love," Carr said. "All of us at some point have been affected by someone who's given us their time. It makes a difference."

Renes, a principal at Reeths-Puffer Middle School, and several other former Wolverines gathered at the Nature Center, sharing stories and chatting with Carr for a time.

Carr said the relationships formed from mentoring can last a long time, as evidenced by the contact he has with former players and coaches.

"I talk to at least one of them every day," Carr said. "I told them when they came into the program that one day I hoped we would go from a coach-player relationship to being friends."

Carr added he believes current football coach Brady Hoke has the Wolverines in a good spot and pointed in the right direction.

The Outdoor Challenge is a dual effort between Muskegon and Ottawa Counties funded through a grant from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.